Lay Down Your Head, Child
by EndlessDreamer99
Summary: /If he closes his eyes he can almost remember her smile./ No one is born evil. Zeref is no exception, despite what the world seems to think. A series of short chapters dealing in how, exactly, the Killing Mage came to be.
1. Part 1: Monster

_Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail or any of the characters. I'm not making a profit off this, it's just for my own enjoyment._

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**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 1: Monster

"Please don't do this!" the man begs. His eyes are wide and fearful, and he's kneeling on the fine carpets, staining the fabric with mud.

He ignores the plea. In truth, he wasn't listening. Something about a wife and some children? Bah. Too bad for them.

"I don't _want _to do this," he assures. "I _have_ to. I have no choice. You shouldn't have betrayed me, see?"

The man's eyes bulge and he opens his mouth again, no doubt to continue begging.

He has no patience for this sort of thing. A wave of his hand and the man gurgles helplessly, struggling for breath and he slumps to the ground.

Slit throat. Ouch. His private assassins must be feeling rather vicious today.

"Now look what you made me do," he tells the dying man. "Blood! All over my new rugs!"

The man doesn't answer. Judging by his blank eyes, he had already died. How rude.

"Sir," a female servant ventures. "There's someone at the door."

"Tell them to come in, then," he dismisses. The woman fidgets. "Well, sir, she's unconscious."

"What?"

"It's a woman, sir. Looks to be about twenty years old or so. She seems to be in bad shape, and she's injured."

He sighs heavily, stepping over the dead man's corpse to reach the door. "How tedious. Clean this up, would you?"

The servant nods fearfully, the scurries away the second she is able. He makes a mental to have her assassinated that night; it doesn't do to leave witnesses.

He leaves to face the problem, whistling a cheery tune under his breath.

This is where the story starts.

His name is Reus van Jakenheim, the head of one of the four noble houses in the kingdom of Fiore. He is only twenty-three. To the outside world he is charming, charitable, and kind to all he comes across. He is blessed with silky black hair and warm light brown eyes, his skin a beautiful golden brown. His is the face of kindness.

The truth is a very different story. He is greedy, selfish and conceited, concerned only with his reputation. He has power, money, and women hanging off his every word (and his arm). He has everything.

Except her.

If not for her denial, her stubbornness, Reus would have dismissed her, cast her from his thoughts like the ungrateful stranger she truly is. He finds her collapsed and unconscious in front of his castle, covered in dirt, grime and God-knows-what-else.

He takes her in and gives her medical attention only because if he didn't, he might be looked upon poorly. When she finally wakes up three days later, he half expects her to swoon over him.

She doesn't. She snarls, screams in his face, and then proceeds to try to jump out of the infirmary window.

The guards pull her back before she can succeed, but she has already gained Reus's attention. Part of him wants her to pay for disrespecting him, but a larger part wants to break down that wild spirit, make her dependent on him, just so he can see the despair in her eyes when he crushes her hopes and dreams.

He tells her to stay in the room until she is better, smiling flirtatiously at her, and that is where his problems begin.

Nothing works. Every time they leave, she only tries to break out again and there's nothing he can do to stop her. Money she scoffs at, threats she laughs at, and when he offers her the chance to be his woman she spits in his face. He can find nothing about her either, so blackmail is futile task.

She's different, she's strange, she's wild, and he's never wanted anything as much as he wants her.

With this realization, everything about her is dazzling. Her name is Eva, and with her fair skin, soft but regal features, hair the color of starlight, and eyes darker than obsidian, thick-lashed and beautiful, she is truly fit to be his queen, his pretty little figurehead.

The true problem is her personality. She's uncouth and wild, uncaring of politics and ignorant of manners. She'd sooner fight tooth and nail than bow to anyone, and insults potential allies daily, sabotaging relationships and destroying his image. She abandons fine silks for her favored cottons and wools, despises the rich, mouth-watering food he gives her. She doesn't appreciate anything, not wine, money or anything at all.

Nor does she love him and that is her greatest insult.

"Am I not desirable?" he asks one day. She leans on the balcony, laughing.

"To most," Eva says, "you are the world. But I do not want the world, nor do I want _you._"

"Why not?!" he screams. Rage dulls his vision and twists his features; he has never felt so insulted. Not wanted? How can he not be wanted? "Why do you still refuse to be my bride and bear me a child?"

"You expect me to love you," Eva says coldly. "I cannot love. But if you truly wish for me to do these things for you, give me a reason to."

"I saved your life," he snarls.

"_That_ is the only reason why I am making this offer in the first place."

Reus loses his patience. "Then what do you want?"

Eva doesn't hesitate. "Power."

"Power?" he splutters. "Power? If you become my wife—"

"Not that kind of power," Eva says. "I want the world at my feet, all of you pathetic humans kneeling before me. I desire true, absolute power."

He licks his lips, mind whirling. He shouldn't, but his pride overruns his common sense. He will break her, but first he needs the tools.

"Fine," he spits at her, the words like acid in his mouth. "Fine! Give me an heir, and I'll give you an empire."

"Oh?" she asks, eyes glinting with curiosity. "An empire?"

"Yes," Reus says. "With an empire, you can do anything, and have anything you want."

Eva smiles. It's a terrible smile, filled with death and darkness and promises of never-ending war. Her hand comes up and rests on his cheek; her skin is ice-cold, like a corpse. Her eyes are empty and devoid of everything—life, love, humanity.

"You have yourself a deal," Eva says, and seals the promise with a kiss. She pulls away and walks back inside, leaving Reus to wonder why he feels like he just sold his soul to a monster.

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_A/N: I really didn't mean to write this...but I couldn't stop myself..._

_So, if you haven't figured it out yet (which I doubt), those two are Zeref's parents. We don't really know anything about how he become the way he is, so...yeah, the plotbunnies ran wild. Please tell me if you find any mistakes, I'm not used to writing in present tense._

_This will be a twelve part series, detailing Zeref's past and maybe a little bit of his future. This will probably all be disproved by the manga, but whatever._

_What do think of Reus and Eva? What do think will happen next? I'm curious to see what you all think... Don't worry, Zeref shows up next chapter._

_Please review! It really helps motivate me to continue writing. :)_


	2. Part 2: Child

A_/N: Many thanks_ _to_ **Rin Kano** _and _**ValkyrieDraco**_ for adding this story to favorites and following!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail. Never have. Never will. This is written purely for entertainment._

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**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 2: Child

Ten months after their marriage, Eva bears him a child.

The months following up to the birth are hectic and miserable. Childbirth doesn't suit Eva, and there are many days where she simply stays locked up in her room either sleeping or sick. When the child finally comes a month too early, she is no better. Her skin is pale; her face drawn and haggard. Black shadows linger under her eyes, the evidence of many sleepless nights. She looks small and sickly, almost swallowed up by the bed sheets.

She eventually recovers, to his satisfaction. It wouldn't do to have his empress perish so soon.

The child is small and just as pale, a living miracle—the midwife had been certain that it would die. It's crying; eyes skewed shut, wailing out its existence to the world. Reus already doesn't like it.

Reus strides to Eva's bedside and drops the child back into her trembling arms in revulsion. He hasn't checked to see if it's a girl or a boy, and at the moment he doesn't really care. He's late for a meeting that is to take place in another city. The only reason he's here at all is because if he wasn't it would cause suspicion.

Eva is gasping for breath and almost drops the newborn but firms her grip at the last moment. She stares down at it and the child wails back up at her. Eva looks panicked and at the same time, disgusted.

"It is loud," she tells the midwife. "Make it stop."

The midwife looks flabbergasted at Eva's revolted tone. "It's a baby," she tries to explain to the new mother. "It just wants comfort."

Eva looks dumbfounded. "Comfort?"

The midwife sighs and hurries to show Eva the correct way to hold the baby and how to calm it down. The child's wails die off quickly as it drops off to sleep.

Eva stares down at its sleeping face with the oddest expression, one Reus cannot name. As though aware of her gaze, the child shifts in her arms and stares back up at her curiously.

Her breath catches.

Reus leaves for his carriage. The meeting will start tomorrow and he doesn't have a moment to waste on silly things like newborns and it's heartless mother.

"You can name the thing," he calls back in a brief moment of generosity, payment for his child surviving.

The door shuts before Eva can answer.

When he finally returns three weeks later, Eva all but shoves _the thing_—"a boy," she says—into his arms. It takes an alarming amount of self-control for Reus to not to drop _the thing_ in disgust. This is to be his heir, but Reus has always despised children. Eva looks slightly disappointed.

"His name is Zeref," she says. It's an odd name, one he's never heard before.

"What does it mean?" he asks.

Eva scoffs. "Nothing important. Perhaps I will tell you someday, if I feel like it."

Reus scowls back at her, irritated by this show of rebellion. Eva sneers at his look, turning to walk away. The child—Zeref—wakes up. His eyes are like Eva's, Reus realizes with a jolt. Obsidian black, thick-lashed, wide and expressive.

"You have your heir, Reus," Eva says. "Now you owe me an empire. It did not give you," her lip curls, "_that _for nothing."

Reus carelessly drops the baby into its cradle, infuriated. "You'll have your empire," he spits at her. "'I am a man of my word."

Eva snorts. "I wonder about that."

He turns on his heel and stomps away from her. Eva throws a handful of pearls at his retreating back and slams the door shut.

Zeref lies abandoned in the bare cradle, screaming and crying to the empty room. His mother is deaf to his cries; his father uncaring.

No one answers, and the child continues to scream for affection that he will never have.

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_A/N: Oh yeah, I should probably warn you...I'm not going to be nice to Zeref. If he's going to grow up to create demons and pretty much murder a bunch of people (to the point where he's known as the Killing Mage) then he definitely isn't going to have a childhood full of sunshine, flowers and rainbows. Nope. Nuh-uh._

_I'm a bit disappointed about the lack of reviews...even it's just a 'nice story' kind of comment, I really want to know what you guys think! Do you like it, do you not like it...I'm sorry, it's not that I'm desperate for reviews it's just I have no clue whether or not anyone's actually liking the story. All your opinions matter!_

_Next chapter will be up in a few more days...see you then!_

_Please review! XD_


	3. Part 3: Liar

_A/N: To _**Guest**_ and _**Gravity-chan**_**, **thank you so much for your reviews! You guys are awesome!_

_Disclaimer: I still don't own Fairy tail, that hasn't changed at all in the last few days. It probably won't ever change. Ever._

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**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 3: Liar

Eva, despite her disgust for the child she has birthed, refuses to let him be nursed by one of Reus's maids.

"I gave him life," she hisses when he suggests it. "If you think I'll let one of your slaves—"

"Servants," Reus corrects.

"Slaves," Eva repeats. "If you think I'll let one of them care for it you're clearly delusional. They'd smother him under a pillow first chance they get."

He laughs at her. "Eva, dear, do you actually _care_?"

"Do not mistake my intentions," Eva snaps, annoyed at his implication. Her dark eyes drill into him, cold and unfeeling. "I simply do not wish to bear another child for as long as I live. It was very unpleasant."

Reus scoffs. Silly woman, thinking he cared. But it was true; childbirth had not been kind to Eva. "Very well."

"I was not asking your permission," Eva says, regal as any queen. She sweeps out of the room in a flurry of white-blond hair and midnight robes, Zeref (only a few months old and already showing signs of having Reus's dark hair) sleeping soundly in her arms.

This is not the first argument they've had about Zeref and Reus knows it will not be the last.

Time passes by, so quickly it's almost as though years have become hours. Reus works to give Eva her empire, beginning to fear the dark look in her eyes. Zeref grows up from the neglected infant to a small, quiet three-year-old. Eva adjusts to being a mother, and overlooks the beginnings of her empire with eyes that aren't even close to being satisfied.

While Reus builds their empire, she shapes their heir, raises Zeref to be a good ruler. "Like his father," Eva says sometimes with a bitter smile full of dark humor.

Sometimes he believes her words. Even at three Zeref can already read and write; and Eva tutors him in a variety of subjects. One week Eva will be teaching history, the next a foreign language. Reus watches as she slowly but surely teaches Zeref new words to write and spell, thinking of all the things his son will do when he is grown.

Zeref loves the lessons, and hangs on to every word, his eyes wide and mind whirling with each new challenge, every new question. Eva teaches him to _think_, to make reasonable decisions, and even as a toddler Zeref shows the beginnings of a wit that will soon be sharper than any blade.

And sometimes Reus will walk in on Eva resting against a wall, Zeref sleeping in her lap. She strokes Zeref's dark hair and sings lullabies in his ear. Some of them Reus recognizes. Some he doesn't. Others are in a language he has never heard before in his life. Her favorite is a tune so soft he barely manages to hear it, the words murmured under her breath meant only for the son sleeping in her arms.

"_Lay down your head, child, the sun will come soon…lighting up the sky, and chasing away the gloom…"_

He asks her why, as usual. Every time he thinks he has Eva figured out she'll do something that obliterates his theory.

"Look at it this way," Eva snarls. She's angry again, and he's hard pressed not to flinch. It's his fault—he'd gone gambling and luck hadn't been on his side. It hasn't been for a while now, now that he thinks about it.

"He will be your heir, but loyal only to me," Eva continues. "Any order I give he will follow, wishing only to please me. That's why I treat him that way, as though I care. If I did not think it worth the effort I would never set my eyes on him."

"What?" Reus snaps. "You _bitch!_ Since when did I give you permission—"

"You promised me an empire if I gave you an heir," Eva reminds him. "I do not see an empire, Reus. So long as my empire remains out of reach, so shall your heir."

Her eyes gleam like diamonds in the evening light; her smile is all teeth. A chill runs down his spine and he skitters back a step before he can stop himself.

Eva laughs at his fear, laughs at _him. _She turns and walks away, and all Reus can do is stare at the retreating back of his wife, his enemy, a monster, and the greatest liar that would ever walk upon this dying earth.

For a moment he almost feels sorry for Zeref, almost pities him. It would destroy his son utterly to know that the mother he so adores feels nothing at all for him. The neglected newborn has grown to be a neglected child, grasping for any sign of care, affection, or love. Eva, his own _mother_, is using that need against him.

But it lasts only for an instant and then the pity dies, because the only person who truly deserves to be pitied is Reus himself, caught up the tangled web of deals with monsters.

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_A/N: I wrote this chapter feeling like the biggest jerk in the world. I will probably feel this way writing the next one too. Poor Zeref...I will show you no mercy._

_Yeah, I'm a terrible authoress._

_Question, 'cause I'm curious. Who do you hate more right now, Reus or Eva? Do you hate them at all? Or, you know, you could always hate Zeref even though at the moment he's, like, three or something..._

_Next chapter will be up soon! It's going to take a bit longer since the outline I have predicts a couple more pages than usual._

_Please review! They give me motivation and therefore equal quicker updates! :)_


	4. Part 4: Secret

_A/N: That actually didn't take as long as I though it would...your reviews were all very inspiring! To_ **Gravity-Chan**, **Guest**, **6885**,_ and_ **Kiwi soul**, _thanks so much for reviewing! To everyone who favorited and followed, thank you as well! All of you rock and I hope you enjoy part 4!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the world of Fairy Tail. This is written purely for entertainment._

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**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 4: Secret

He's suspected for a while now. Perhaps even from the beginning, when he'd first seen those blank, inhuman eyes.

"_I cannot love,"_ she had said.

In the end, this wise woman is only confirming it, giving truth to his suspicions. He nods and smiles at the right place and time; recoils in revulsion when he sees she expects him too. Behind his façade, his mind is whirling, and he feels numb. All this time. All this time Eva had hidden the truth. He'd suspected, yes, thought of it, entertained the idea, but never once had he truly believed it and that itself is grating.

When he leaves the room, he signals his assassins to end the old woman without a hint of remorse. When the muffled sound of her dead body hitting the floors meets his ears, he even allows for a small smirk of satisfaction to grace his features.

The woman had known the truth, and for that she deserved nothing less than death.

He goes back to the lonely mansion he calls home, and seeks Eva out. He wonders if this new information will change his view of her, whether he will see past the illusion she has clouded his vision with, if he will be able to read the truth on her face.

Reus finds Eva in the empty ballroom (he hasn't thrown a single party since they were wedded), spinning and twirling in a dance he can't even fathom to recognize. Zeref sits on the floor a few paces away, banging on drums in an intricate pattern, every once in a while reaching out to ring a little bell. The boy is smiling, eyes bright as he watches his mother dance around the room.

Reus clears his throat.

Eva whirls to a stop, not a trace of surprise on her face. She looks up at him, only a little curious as Reus gazes down at her from the doorway. This is the first time he's ever interrupted one of Zeref's lessons.

She doesn't look any different. Her hair is still starlight, wavy and waist-length down her back. Her eyes are still the same—cold, impervious, uncaring. She still looks like the woman he'd married, who had borne his child. Still Eva.

In his heart, Reus had always known she was a monster. He had always seen it, even if it had never been confirmed before now.

Eva reads the truth on his face, sees the shadows in his eyes. "Zeref," she says, voice soft. "We will have to cut our lesson short. Put away the drums and find the nurse; perhaps she has some use for you."

Zeref's disappointment is a quick flash across his face as his searching gaze wanders from his mother to his father and back again. He gives a slow nod, picks himself off the floor and scurries toward the doors. "Yes mother," he says dutifully.

Reus watches Zeref leave with hooded eyes, the boy shivering slightly from his hard gaze. When he darts past Reus towards the doors, Reus's eyes follow his every move.

Just before he leaves, Zeref turns back to them, and gives a small bow. It's hurried and off-balanced, just a bit too high for his and Eva's social standing. Reus's lip curls.

Zeref pops back up, a small smile lighting up his face. "Thank you for the lesson, Mother," he says. Then, almost shyly, he adds, "I hope you had a nice journey, Father. It's…it's nice to see you!" The small boy gives Eva one last awkward smile, then turns and slips out of the room, the doors shutting with a loud bang behind him.

Eva watches him go with a faint air of fondness that fades the second the door closes behind her son. Her eyes turn back to Reus, and she waits, patiently, for him to speak.

"You aren't human," he accuses.

Eva doesn't even bat an eyelash at this declaration. "Finally figured it out, have you?"

His hand curls into a fist. "What are you?" he spits out viciously.

Eva smiles. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Tell me!" Reus demands. "I order you to—"

"Oh, not this again," Eva snarls. "How many times must I repeat myself? You. Do. Not. _Own _me."

Reus jerks back. "You are my wife," he says, grasping for leverage. "You are supposed to do as I say and—"

"I never bothered to listen to the rules and I'm not planning on starting now," Eva says. "And besides, as you said, I am not human. Why should _I_ abide by _your_ laws?"

"I'll kill the boy," Reus says in a fit of desperation.

Eva's eyes narrow. "Foolish," she says coldly. "For then you would be without an heir. Don't think simply killing him will get you out of giving me my empire."

The silence stretches between them, broken only by Reus's harsh breaths.

"You meant what you said then, didn't you," he whispers finally. "When you said you couldn't love."

Eva finally looks just a bit confused at the abrupt change in subject, but it quickly turns to a thoughtful look. She turns her head toward the huge windows and stares out at the distant mountains, afternoon sun gleaming across the glass.

"I am not so sure now," she admits in a murmur he's almost certain he isn't meant to hear. "Perhaps I can love after all."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

Eva starts. She stares at him, dark eyes wide.

Reus meets her gaze evenly.

Eva licks her lips. It's a nervous gesture, something she does when she wants to say something but isn't sure how to say it. She meets his gaze again.

It happens so suddenly he almost misses it. A flash of realization, and then her mask crashes down again, smoothing out her features and returning her eyes to their normal apathetic state. Maybe he imagined it…

"Isn't it obvious?" Eva says. "Any wife would fall in love with her husband if given enough time." She smiles again, but this one is almost—dare he say it—_warm_, bordering on kind.

Her words are carelessly said, but the weight they unknowingly carry is enormous. Eva loves…him?

Eva _loves_?

He isn't sure what he's supposed to do or say, and so he does the next best thing: put it aside for later and change the subject.

"And the boy?" he asks.

"Of your kind," Eva soothes, knowing instinctively he's talking about Zeref. "The differences between my kind and yours are more…spiritual, than physical."

"And _what_," Reus asks, exasperated, "is that supposed to mean?"

A flash of irritation crosses her face. "It means," Eva says, her words all but dripping in sarcasm, "that Zeref is human. Completely human, only with more magic than most could even dream of."

This is interesting. Reus thinks of his small, scrawny, shy son and tries to picture the boy with all the power in the world at his pale fingertips. He cannot.

"Unlimited power?" he asks, and remembers too late to hide his intentions.

Eva sees through it anyway. "Not unlimited," Eva admits. "Simply…extensive. Too much for a child to control. I'm not sure he will ever learn how, without years of training."

The conversation dies again, and Reus suddenly realizes that this the longest talk he's ever had with Eva.

_Perhaps it is time to discuss that pervious matter,_ he thinks.

"So," he says again with a flirtatious smile, "You, Eva, have finally fallen in love with me?"

Eva glowers at him, a dark look entering her unwavering gaze. "I was certain we had finished with that," she responds coldly. "I have already admitted to it; there is no need to continue bringing it up."

Reus ignores her. He's giddy with complacency, buzzing on the rush of things going right for once. "I've tamed the greatest beast of all!" he crows. "Eva, the heartless! Eva, the conqueror! Eva, the empress! I've captured even her heart!" he laughs. "I truly hold the world in my hands!"

"Of course you do," Eva purrs, and in a single second all of Reus's arrogance drains away. There's something in the way she says those words, something dark and deadly, and all the love the world can't save him from it.

"Of course you do," Eva repeats, and the words are said relevantly. "Of course you do! Reus van Jakenheim, ruler of the world!" She grins widely, her eyes colder than ice and emptier than any abyss. "The man who married a monster!"

He lurches away from her, almost tripping over his feet when she advances towards him. "You…you said you loved me! You wouldn't hurt your b-beloved, would y-you?" He tries for a smile but it's flimsy and weak, fading even as Eva kneels by his side, every move she makes as dangerous as a cobra about to strike.

"I said perhaps," Eva corrects. "And the fact I love doesn't change my nature. You mustn't forget that, Reus," she pats his cheek, "Or the monster might just decide you are more than trouble than you are worth."

"My fortune—" Reus gasps.

"Means nothing." Eva cuts down every argument with cold precision. "All the power in the world couldn't save you from me," she adds, and then she strikes the final blow. "And what is love next to power?"

He flinches. "Nothing," he whispers.

"Nothing," Eva agrees. "My greatest fear is death. My greatest desire; power. Next to that…" She stands. "My love for you means absolutely nothing at all."

Reus closes his eyes against the harsh, blinding truth. How could he have deluded himself into believing he had the power for all these years, when the result was always the same? Every time he tried to control her, every time he tried to make her blindly follow him, Eva would always win.

He hears her quiet footsteps echo softly in the empty ballroom, and the hinges of the great door creak as Eva slips away. But she has never been one to leave without a final jab.

"Sweet dreams, _darling_."

The door slides shut with a creaky moan, and Reus finally opens his eyes.

"Damn you," he whispers to the empty air. "Damn your secrets. Damn your power."

The afternoon sun has touched the horizon, and the room is array of colors, lit by the brilliant sunset. Reus's hands curl into fists. Blood beads on his palms where his nails break the skin.

He thinks of Zeref, quiet and calm, so easily manipulated by Eva. Think of the boy's awkward bow, of his shy and awkward smile, of the joy and love he holds for his dear mother.

"Damn your son," Reus tells the sky, but there is no answer and the only witness to his hate is an empty room and the dying sunset, staining the blue sky with deep oranges and rosy pinks, before finally painting the sky with a red the color of blood.

Reus closes his eyes, and schemes.

* * *

_A/N: Part five is when everything starts falling apart. There's also a rather interesting twist, if you haven't caught it yet. Otherwise...muwahahaha...wait and see..._

_Current thoughts? Opinions? Ways I can improve? Has the object of your hatred changed direction? What do you think Reus is planning?_

_Yay for a bunch of random questions...Please review!_

_Also, for the first time: a preview!_

Part 5: Love

_...And that's it. :)_


	5. Part 5: Love

_A/N: I'm a bit disappointed with the lack of reviews, but thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story so far!_

_Oh, and a small warning: a certain someone drops the f-bomb in this chapter, and calls Eva a few nasty names. Just in case any of you are swear-sensitive. _

_Oh, and in advance: I'm really, really sorry for this._

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its amazing characters. Eva and Reus, however, are of my own creation._

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**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 5: Love

Reus is going to kill his son.

His son. Such a misleading term, bringing with it the implication of love, affection and the drive to protect the child at all costs. Zeref has never been his son. His heir, yes, but soon the boy won't even be that.

He wonders what Eva will think of this, but the thought disappears as quickly as it comes. Eva doesn't matter, not in this. She hates Zeref as much as he does, perhaps more. She might be confused but soon enough she'll probably forget about the boy entirely. Zeref is a distraction at best and an annoyance at worst. He will not be missed, and it was only a matter of time before he was disposed of.

Reus will never let a _half-breed _rule his empire.

"Where are we going, Father?" Zeref asks, and the quiet, whispery voice breaks Reus free of his swirling thoughts. He forces a smile on his face. Father? _Father?!_ How dare this non-human _thing_ address him so casually?!

"The training grounds," he says, not a hint of his murderous thoughts reflecting on his face. "You're turning five in a few months, and it's about time you start training with a sword."

Zeref's whole face lights up and he looks so ridiculously happy it almost makes Reus want to smack the look off his face. His smile strains and his fists clench. Monsters shouldn't act human.

Eva, a least, is true to her nature.

"Of course, Father!" Zeref says, cheerful but still respectful. Reus pretends that the thing hasn't yet again spoken to him and the two walk the rest of the way in silence.

To Zeref, this is a dream come true. His father is like a ghost to him; sometimes he's there, and other times he's not. Even when he is here, however, his father never speaks or acknowledges him. Until today. All Zeref can hope for is to not mess this up, and to make his father proud of him.

Deep inside Zeref's heart, all he wants is to make his father and mother proud. Maybe if he did, they would love him more. They had to love him, right? That's what Kinia, the cook says. All parents love their children so surely Lady Eva and Lord Reus love him.

Zeref secretly wishes that this true. Perhaps this training session is a sign, proof that his father _does_ care.

The thought brings a spring to his step and a small smile to his face. Zeref is too lost in his thoughts, in his wishes and dreams of his parents love to see the flash of disgust cross Reus's face.

Father and son walk into the training grounds. It's empty, of course (_Never leave witnesses_, Reus thinks) and Zeref, who has never set foot on these grounds before, sees no reason to find this strange. Perhaps his father wants a private lesson, when there is no one here to watch. This thought cheers and saddens him. He is happy to have his father all to himself, but the insinuation that Reus thinks so little of his skill hurts.

Reus picks their weapons. If he wants to pass this off as a training accident, it will have to looks that way. To Zeref, he gives a double-handed sword twice his size and almost too heavy to lift, real steel and razor-sharp. For himself, he grabs his favorite rapier.

Zeref tries to lift the sword. The fact he cannot even pull the tip up off the ground is a predictable failure.

Eva has undoubtedly told him the rules of the sport and what he should expect, and for the first time Zeref looks confused. Almost worried.

"Father?" he asks. "Aren't…aren't we going to start with wood?"

"No, no," Reus dismisses. "This is fine." Regardless of his façade, he cannot keep a small twisted smile from slipping out. Finally, _finally_, he will be free from one of the monsters that has destroyed his life.

At the sight of this terrible, murderous grin, Zeref's confusion slowly becomes fear. He steps back, dragging the sword with him. "F-father? What's going on?"

"Nothing," Reus says. "Just a little accident, is all. Such a tragic accident…" he smirks down at his son and then lunges at the boy, his blade aimed to kill.

Zeref shrieks and falls back, scrambling to lift the heavy sword. By some miracle he manages, if only for a moment, and their blades clash with loud, ringing clang. It is Zeref's that gets knocked out of his hands.

Zeref cries out again, terror, pain and fear making his childish voice shrill. He stumbles and falls on his back, cringing away.

Reus's sword comes down and Zeref screams.

"_Simply with more magic than most could even dream of,"_ Eva had said. It is that magic now that saves the boy, bursting out of Zeref's trembling form, wild and unfocused but for the silent scream of _get away, get away, get away!_

The magic does just that, knocking Reus back several feet and sending his sword skidding across the grounds.

Reus's rage sparks and suddenly all he can see is this _thing_ that has dared to strike him, dared to defend itself, when all it deserves is to die and rot in hell for all eternity. Not even that, Reus decides then. Not even that. This _thing_ that calls him Father and pretends to be human deserves nothing. It should be obliterated, destroyed so utterly and completely that there isn't even a chance of it _ever_ ruining his life again.

Reus forgoes weapons entirely, choosing instead to kill the monster with his own hands. His fingers curl around Zeref's throat, cutting the boy's hysterical sobbing short.

Zeref is panicked and frightened beyond anything he's ever felt before. His thoughts are in tatters, scrambled beyond belief, and this time the magic does not come.

Reus chokes his son with cold-blooded murder burning in his eyes and when Zeref's hands come up and try to pry his fingers away he shakes the monster,tightening his grip. Zeref's eyes are wide and blinded by tears, his mouth gaping open as he tries to draw breath. His fingers slacken and then fall away to rest at his sides. A few seconds longer and the _thing_ will be gone, it's life squeezed away by Reus's own hands.

Then, the sound of screaming.

The next thing Reus knows he is airborne, and then his body slams into a training dummy, snapping the wood in two. He hits the ground hard enough to fracture his ribs, and his arms twists under his body then breaks with a loud and sickening _crack_.

He has no air in his lungs to scream with and all he can manage is a pained hiss as he pathetically lifts his head from the ground. The sight that meets his eyes is impossible.

Eva; beautiful, unreachable, unloving and uncaring Eva, is crying. The tears fall silently down her cheeks and she shakes from the force of her muffled sobs, the source of her tears cradled lovingly in her arms: Zeref.

Eva, crying over Zeref's body.

He cannot believe it. Cannot accept it. It is, quite simply, the most unbelievable thing he has ever laid eyes on and denial rears its head. It isn't possible. Eva isn't crying over Zeref's body, isn't whispering choked thank-yous to the sky when the half-breed takes another wheezing breath and keeps breathing. Eva isn't holding him close as though if she lets him go his lingering life will ebb away. She simply can't be.

Reus uses his good arm to push himself up, ignoring the pain. It's stating fade, even, numbing from shock. He stumbles towards them, the weeping mother and the living son, blood dripping from where the bone of his damaged arm has broken skin and a cut on his forehead.

"What are doing, Eva?" he whispers, and then something _snaps_.

"_What do you think you're doing, Eva?!_" he screams. "What the fuck do you think you're doing? That thing deserves to die! He's just like you, you and he, you both have to die! He was never loved! He was the loveless child! Zeref is nothing! That thing is _nothing!_ What the hell are you doing?"

Curled and trembling in Eva's arms, Zeref hears every word. His dark eyes go impossibly wide and something seems to die within him, a tiny flame of hope going out. In one fell swoop Reus has crushed his dreams and his hopes for his parent's love, for any love. He can't understand why or what he did wrong, but all he knows now is that his parents have never loved him.

Eva stills at Reus's words, arms curling tightly around Zeref's body. With great effort she rips her gaze away from her son, and she looks away from him to Reus, deathly quiet.

Reus stops in his tracks and fear rises up in him like a tidal wave, slow-building but ultimately crashing over him and drowning him in its depths. His fear of Eva, of the darkness in her eyes, comes surging over him and it almost cripples him because _oh god he can _see_ it._

Eva's eyes, once a dark obsidian void, are now a bright crimson; the same shade as fresh blood. A black ring encircles her iris, and she looks like a demon come to life.

"Congratulations Reus," Eva whispers back, her voice soft and deadly. Her crimson eyes bore into his own dark brown. "You have made me angry."

She advances and he falls back, his foot hitting Zeref's cast off sword. Behind Eva, Zeref takes another wheezing breath, the simple sound deafening in the tense silence.

Reus may be rich and pampered and spoiled, but he is also a master swordsman. He has killed many without a second thought and the fact his new target is his son changes nothing. His assassins can't help him here, they are too easily bought. If he wants to rid his life of one monster, he must take matters into his own hands.

In one fluid movement, Reus snatches the sword off the ground and charges. He spares a passing thought to how lucky he was for his broken arm not to be his dominant hand. His eyes are fixed on Zeref, and the stupid _thing_ is all he can see. It's his fault; it's that damn half-breed's fault that everything is going wrong.

He never gets the chance to end his son. When he raises his sword in preparation to strike there is something in his way, something that hadn't been there only a few seconds before.

The sharpened sword slides into Eva's stomach with sickening thump, and he can see the way she's flung open her arms to make sure she gets in his way, the desperation and fear in her demonic eyes.

Reus jerks away from her in shock, accidentally pulling out the sword as well. Eva collapses on her knees, a pained whimper forcing itself out of her throat. Blood drips from her mouth but all she does reach out and grasp his limp hand. From it she rips the sword from his grip, then raises it high and stabs it through his pant leg, pinning him to ground. The bloodstained blade cuts into his leg and Reus falls to the dirt again, no longer possessing the strength to lift himself up.

Eva looks grimly satisfied. She shakily pushes herself up to her feet, stumbling back to Zeref, but after a few steps she falters and crashes to the ground again, crying out in pain.

Zeref stares. The fact he's conscious at all after all that is mind-blowing, and Reus has no doubt it is because Eva's blood runs in his veins. But conscious he is and the small almost five-year-old reaches out to Eva with all the innocence and despair of a child that has lost its way. "Why?" he whispers, his voice hoarse. "W-why…?"

There is more, so much more that Zeref cannot say—_don't you hate me, wasn't it a lie, why would you do this for me?_ So, so many questions.

Eva reaches up with one blood stained hand and strokes his cheek in a comforting manner. She is pale and tired, but something else shines in her blood-red eyes. Relief.

"Silly boy," she whispers. "Silly, silly boy. I was never meant to love you."

And just like that, everything clicks. Eva's lullabies and her insistence on nursing Zeref, her stubborn decision to teach him herself. Perhaps even in the beginning, when she'd stared down at her newborn child with an unreadable expression. Her murmured confession, all those months ago.

"_Perhaps I can love after all."_

She had never been talking about him. Reus had only assumed as much. From the very beginning, from the moment Zeref had been born, Eva had been a mother who loved her child. She'd hidden it from the world, had lied to him and to herself, because no one knew better than Eva how Reus hates being outdone.

The fact Eva loves her child but despises Reus would have only given him more incentive to murder Zeref and she had known that. She had manipulated him from the start.

"You bitch," he breathes out furiously. "You stupid, lying, _bitch_!"

Eva doesn't respond, just keeps looking at Zeref, drinking in the sight of him. Her desperation fades, and all that remains is resolution, acceptance. She knows what her fate is to be and she will go without a fight.

Zeref stares up at his mother confused and frightened but still so trusting, and Eva—smiles.

The light that comes then is brighter than any supernova and fierier than any sun. It twists and spins in the air like ribbons, and it deafens him with the music of the heavens. It's blinding but it's also the most beautiful, the most terrifying thing he's ever seen. It's the essence of a celestial being, it's very soul, it's very being.

It fades away as quickly as it came, twisting up into the air then fading into the sky. Black spots dance in his vision, his ears ringing, and Reus wonders how he possibly survived that.

He will never know the answer.

Only a few feet away, Eva shakes uncontrollably as she strokes Zeref's hair. Her son's eyes are flickering, and he's only a few moments away from unconsciousness. Eva smiles again. Despite the deadly wound sapping away her life, she breathes in deep and starts to sing.

"_Lay down your head, child… the sun will come…soon…lighting up the sky, and chasing away… the gloom…"_

"M-mother—" Zeref tries to say but she shushes him and Zeref loses his fight to say conscious. His eyes close and his breathing slows slightly. Eva still sings.

"_Lay down your head, child, the morning…it will come…and if it does not, I…will be your sun…"_

Eva shudders, coughing blood, but she grits her teeth and keeps singing. She will finish this song, and let herself, for this one time, sing the final piece of the ancient lullaby.

"_Lay down your head, child, oh if only you knew…"_

Her breath catches, her eyes flicker wildly; she is dying. And yet she forges on, determined to finish. This song has become her one truth, the only one that no matter how hard she tries, she cannot deny it.

"_There is—no end…"_ she draws in a rattling breath_—"to how much… I…_ love you."

The final word comes with her final breath. Eva's eyes, once more obsidian black, are blank and unseeing. Her hand stills on Zeref's head, her comforting motions cut short. The hand cradling her injured stomach drops lifelessly to the ground, and both mother and son are covered in her blood.

Eva lies still, a small frozen smile curving her lips, and even in death she is beautiful.

* * *

_A/N: Um. Sorry, again? Please don't kill me... H__ow many of you saw that coming? _

_Chapter six might take another week, but it'll be up soon._

_Please review! For this chapter in particular, I would love to know what you guys are thinking._

_See you next time! Heheheh...*hides in corner*_


	6. Part 5 12: Regret

_Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its amazing characters. Eva and Reus, however, are of my own creation._

* * *

**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 5 ½: Regret

There are times when Eva regrets making that deal with Reus.

It sneaks up on her every time he looks down at her and tries to control her; with every cold dismissive glance he gives Zeref. Usually, she ignores it—Eva is not so weak as to abandon her goals simply because of a mere human. But she cannot deny that it exists, this regret. Reus is a headache, a nuisance, but he is useful and that is the only reason she has yet to kill him for his insolence.

Of course, there is another reason why Eva lets Reus live, one she will never acknowledge.

Yet, just as there are things she regrets about that deal, some good has come of it. Some things she cannot regret.

Zeref is one such thing.

Eva doesn't know exactly why she cares for the boy. Zeref is naïve, gullible, and endlessly curious to a degree that would be annoying if not for the innocent way he goes about it. She is not supposed to care for him, and the fact she does is something she had never before considered. Zeref was supposed to be a tool, a sacrifice, but now Eva regards those thoughts with panic and fear because she doesn't want Zeref to die, not even for her beloved empire.

The servants call it a mother's love but she doesn't know what that means, nor does she know what it entails. Love is an emotion she never thought she'd feel, but she isn't surprised she feels it for Zeref. For her son.

"Mother?" Zeref asks and Eva pulls away from her thoughts.

"What is it?"

"I'm scared," he mumbles.

This quiet answer, as Zeref shrinks against her leg, makes her stare. Zeref doesn't notice, his dark eyes, so like her own, fixating on the window.

Lightning flashes and Zeref whimpers.

"It's only a storm," Eva says but Zeref doesn't move away. She sighs. "Zeref," she coaxes gently. Then, when he doesn't respond right away she repeats herself, firmly. "_Zeref._"

This time, shaking and fearful, Zeref pulls his eyes away from the window and looks up at her.

Eva kneels to shorten the height difference between them, carefully prying one of Zeref's hands off her dress and enclosing it in her own. "Do you trust me, Zeref?"

Zeref nods without any hesitation and Eva wonders about this warm feeling in her chest, at this sudden urge to smile.

"Then trust this, my son," Eva says, "that as long as I am here, no storm will ever harm you."

"Promise?" Zeref asks softly, looking up at her with wide, awe-filled eyes. So innocent, her son. How this precious child came to be hers is a question Eva knows she will never have the answer to.

She squeezes his hand. "I swear on my life," she says and means every word.

Zeref looks away to stare out at the pouring rain and flashes of lightning. Thunder roars once again and though Zeref flinches he makes no sound. A long moment passes, and then Zeref looks back up at her, gaze resolute.

"Okay," he says, and that is that.

Eva will never understand the minds of children, of their simple trust. How Zeref can believe her words so easily, so whole-heartedly, will forever baffle her. But she is grateful for it all the same.

She stands up to her full height, then guides Zeref to her rooms. This is not the first time a storm has frightened Zeref so, and Eva knows enough about her son to realize that he will sleep easier by her side. Reus is gone on one of his numerous business trips and for that, Eva is also grateful.

Zeref loves his father, and Eva finds herself reluctant to destroy his fantasy of a happy, loving family, even though such a dream is unattainable.

(And that is the other reason Eva has yet to get rid of Reus—because Zeref loves him. Doesn't know the man but loves him anyway; despite Reus's obvious hatred. That alone is enough to stay Eva's hand.)

Eva leads Zeref away from the window and by extension the storm. Zeref walks with her, still frightened but courageous in the secure knowledge of his mother's promise.

Outside, the storm rages on, casting the world in shadow and hiding the deafening roars of the dragons that patrol the sky. The world itself drains her life away, and her empire is teetering on the edge of either destruction or triumph.

Eva hold Zeref's hand securely in her own, and regrets nothing.

* * *

_A/N: As you may have already guessed, this is a bonus chapter (basically an apology for taking so long). The real chapter six will be posted either tonight or tomorrow, so don't worry. Not counting this one, there will two more bonus chapters throughout the story. Their purpose is to explain facts or parts of the story that wouldn't fit in with the main storyline. For example, _Regret_ is a side story because it would have revealed that Eva _does_ love Zeref. Since you are now aware of this fact, a chapter from Eva's pov could be written._

_If you're wondering, _Regret_ takes place before Reus finds out about Eva not being human._

_See you soon!_


	7. Part 6: Mirror

_A/N: I'm so sorry about how long it took to write this chapter. To _**Gravity-Chan, Shadowfey (x2),** **MindBlown, ****TheEndlessWanderer, **_and everyone who has stuck with this story so far-thanks. Here's chapter six. I hope you like it!_

___Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or any of its amazing characters. Eva, Reus, and Kinia, however, are of my own creation._

* * *

**Lay Down Your Head, Child**

Part 6: Mirror

It's another one of these meetings.

If he's honest with himself, which is quite rare, Reus dislikes them. The social and political game is entertaining to play but Reus quickly grows bored with the dull minds of his supposed fellows. If nothing else, at least Eva's mind had been sharp.

The woman in front of him, large in both body and ego but lacking in intelligence, gives a high girlish giggle that sets his teeth on edge.

"My dear Lord Reus," she simpers and Reus knows exactly what she will say next. "My dearest apologies for your loss."

Reus buries his disgust under a flirty smile, making sure his eyes at least look a little bit pained by grief. "Thank you, my lady. I am…coping, if only just."

"And your poor son," the woman cries, face twisted in horror. "How could any mother do such a thing to her own child?!"

Reus dips his head in agreement, shoulders stooping. "It was a shock to me as well," Reus says. Then he puts a hand over his mouth and squeezes his eyes tightly shut. "Forgive me, I—Eva had never struck me as the type to…to…" He lets his words choke off and the woman nearly swoons in apparent sympathy, bobbing her head up and down like the peasant children bob for apples.

He holds back a smile. It will take little, he knows, for the heiress to join him and his side.

Then she gives a soft cry of surprise. "Oh! Hello there, child."

It does not take a genius to guess who she was talking to. It takes all of Reus's willpower not to snarl. He turns and looks down, dark brown eyes meeting the apathetic gaze of the boy he had once called his son.

The person Zeref was five months ago and the person he is now are like night and day. If he bothers, Reus can remember an ever-smiling child who had forever tried to please his parents, watching the rest of the world with wide, enchanted eyes.

The boy before him now is calm and blank, uncaring and cold. The world could burn before his eyes and Reus doubts he would care. He hasn't smiled once since Eva's death.

The heiress kneels down and ruffles Zeref's already messy hair, cooing softly. "Your father and I were just talking about you!" she says in the soft and high voices that adults use when talking to children.

Most adults. Eva had always spoken to Zeref as though he was an equal. An ignorant, naïve equal, but an equal nonetheless.

Zeref does not reply.

Unnerved but trying to hide it, the woman turns back to Reus, discreetly wiping her hand off on her dress. "Really though," she says, "not even once? That woman, you never once suspected her?"

"No," Reus says.

"If you don't mind me asking," she leans in conspiringly, "what really happened that day? I've never caught the full story, only rumors."

"I—" Reus cuts himself off before he can finish. However much he may dislike her, this woman will be a valuable asset to his empire. To insult her now can only bring disaster.

"She…Eva…tried to kill Zeref four months ago." Reus begins, placing a fatherly hand on Zeref's head. He makes a mental note to scrub the hand clean of filth later. "I stopped her, but she fought back and when I realized that she truly meant to kill Zeref, and then _me_…"

The woman listens intently. Reus draws in a shaky breath, pretending to fight back tears. "I…ended the threat," he says softly. "I killed her."

The woman gasps in shock.

"I had no other choice," he chokes out. "She would have taken everything away from me."

The heiress coos and apologizes for bring up the apparently painful memories and Reus only half listens, glancing down at Zeref to see his reaction. The five-year-old's face is utterly blank, but then Reus expects that. Zeref has heard this story a hundred times by now. What is one more?

"And you, child?" the woman coaxes, bending down to catch Zeref's eye. "Did you expect it?"

Never mind the fact Zeref is five and most likely scarred for life. Had Zeref been a normal child, one Reus could love, perhaps he would feel pity. But Zeref is not a normal child; Zeref is a monster and as such this is no less than what monsters deserve.

"Don't waste your time," Zeref says coldly. The woman draws back, startled by the venom in his tone. "I don't remember any of it."

The heiress turns to Reus for confirmation, and Reus gives it. "Trauma," he explains. "The healers believe that Zeref has subconsciously blocked the memory of that day. He was informed of his mother's betrayal after he recovered."

This part at least, is true. Zeref has no memory of Reus's attempt to end his life, nor of Eva's sacrifice. It fits in well with Reus's story, as he is now the only one who knows the truth. For Zeref, who has no memory of the true events, he has no choice but to believe his "loving" father's words. He cannot deny the fact that someone did try to kill him—if not then where had his injuries had come from?

The only thing that would make the story better, Reus thinks, is if Zeref had died too.

He could have done it then, after Eva's death. Could have arranged for an "accident." _Would _have, if not for one small detail.

Eva was smart. Eva was clever. Eva wasn't stupid.

Sacrifice herself for her son when it would be laughably easy for Reus to kill Zeref after her death? No. Eva wasn't one to throw her life away into some senseless sacrifice.

Eva had planned something. She had given Zeref some sort of protection to keep him alive, and most likely end Reus's own life in the process. The unearthly light that had enveloped both mother and son moments before her death did nothing but encourage those suspicions.

Reus wasn't about to take that chance then and he certainly isn't about to now. The only thing Reus values more than his growing empire (not Eva's, never Eva's_, not anymore_) is his own life.

"But I must say," the woman begins suddenly, jolting Reus away from his thoughts. "You look _just like_ your father." She gives Zeref a false smile. "Do you want to be like Lord Reus when you grow up, child?" she asks. "Because my goodness, you two look alike. I suppose what they say is true—like father like son!"

Zeref looks startled, almost insulted. "No," he finally spits out when it's clear the woman is waiting for an answer. She blinks, surprised again, and perhaps also offended by Zeref's icy tone. Zeref turns on his heel and walks away without another word.

Reus watches Zeref leave, ignoring the heiress' angry murmur of "Why, I never!"

Like me? He thinks to himself. No. If Zeref takes after anyone…

For a second his vision blurs and it's not Zeref he sees, but Eva, back straight and proud and surrounded by a cold, detached air. The echo fades, and then it's only Zeref, stalking away in fury.

People can compare the two of them as much as they want but Reus knows the truth. Zeref does not take after him. In the end, Zeref had always been Eva's son.

And that thought, more than anything, sends a chill down Reus's spine.

OoOoO

Kinia is not, despite popular opinion, a nanny. She doesn't care for children. She doesn't watch over them. She has her hand full with caring for her own children, thank-you-_very-_much, and she isn't all that for looking after another's. She's a cook, for crying out loud!

This apparently doesn't mean much in Lord Reus's manor, Kinia thinks. After all, she's the one tasked with looking after Master Zeref.

It's not that she _minds_, per se—Master Zeref is quite mature for his age, and is a delight to be around. It's just that she wishes her fellow servants would stop getting the wrong idea about her job. Just because the young Master wanders into the kitchen doesn't mean he's looking for her!

"Kinia?"

But damn her soft heart.

"Good evening, Master Zeref," she says, turning with a smile. It's pathetic, really, that for all her grumbling she really is fond of the boy. "Aren't you supposed to be at the party?"

Master Zeref looks down at his feet, scuffing one foot across the tiles. "They won't miss me," he says defensively. "It was ending anyways," he adds.

"Anyway, not anyways," Kinia corrects absently. "Well, no matter. Would you like an apple, Master Zeref?"

The young boy nods shyly and Kinia's smile grows wider against her will, pleased to see this small bit of emotion from the boy. The young Master hasn't smiled or laughed even once since Lady Eva's death and betrayal.

Kinia isn't sure how she feels about that. She hadn't known Lady Eva, had only spoken to her once (and what an odd conversation that had been). Nevertheless, even though Lady Eva had been cold, she had been polite and fair to all the servants. That is a lot more than Lord Reus has ever done for them, not that Kinia would dare say so aloud.

Yet the fact remains—Lady Eva may have betrayed the van Jakenheim family, may have tried to murder Lord Reus, but Kinia would still prefer her former mistress alive rather than Lord Reus. If Lady Eva had not tried to kill Master Zeref as well, this would still be her opinion.

But Lady Eva _had_ tried to kill Master Zeref—for that, Kinia believes, death is a mercy the woman does not deserve.

She glances over to find Zeref finishing up his apple. She reaches over to take the core from him and throws it into the bucket of scraps. When she turns back around, she sees the lost, lonely look on his face.

Any and all thoughts of shooing the boy from her kitchen fade away. Kinia knows enough about Master Zeref to recognize when he's deep in thought, and by the mournful expression slowly making its way across his features she has a good idea as to what he's thinking of.

For a single moment she sees not her future Lord or the next heir to the van Jakenheim family fortune. He isn't "Master Zeref" and Kinia wraps her arms around a grieving child.

He doesn't hesitate to hug her back, to bury his face into her shoulder. Kinia wonders if, in all those months, this is the first time Zeref has allowed himself to grieve for his beloved mother's death.

For his mother's betrayal.

She wonders if this is the first time he's had the chance to.

Kinia doesn't say a word as Zeref cries into her shoulder, shaking like a leaf in her arms. She hums common lullabies under her breath, and if this makes him cry harder neither of them will admit it. She rocks him gently and doesn't say a word—doesn't say it will all be all right, doesn't say it will all be okay.

Kinia knows enough about grief to know that it never really goes away, not really, and that nothing will ever be "all right" when one is caught in the throes of it.

Master Zeref had loved his mother and even though Lady Eva had turned out to be a monster and a liar, does that take away his right to grieve?

After a long while, Master Zeref's tears run dry and his sobs fade. He pushes away from her and Kinia lets him go even though instinct says otherwise. She isn't the boy's mother, Kinia reminds herself. Lady Eva had been, and Lady Eva is dead. The young Master isn't looking for a replacement. He most certainly doesn't want one.

"Sorry, Kinia," Master Zeref says, looking away from her. Kinia places a hand on his head and ruffles his hair softly. "Do not apologize for grieving," she admonishes gently.

Master Zeref looks like he's been slapped and his quiet response of "Oh-okay," is small. His eyes flicker to the floor again.

Kinia glances out the window. The sun has all but set and out the corner of her eye she sees Master Zeref stifle a yawn.

"Run along now, Master Zeref," she says. "It's about time you went to sleep."

Zeref sighs a little and droops in disappointment.

"If you hurry," Kinia cajoles, "I might—might, mind you—be willing to send up a small piece of this apple turnover for you."

It's almost hilarious how quickly he lights up, not smiling but just happy and excited for once, and she laughs as she finally gets him out of her kitchen.

She smiles at his retreating back, and keeps her secrets. She doesn't tell the boy about her suspicions about Eva's betrayal. Kinia also doesn't say that apple turnover had been his mother's favorite food as well, nor that when Lady Eva had lived the servants had also snuck her food when it seemed the Lady was having a bad day. She doesn't mention how alike Zeref is to his mother, no matter how true it is.

Kinia turns and heads back to her station, never once voicing how that might not be such a bad thing after all.

Mirrors don't always reflect just the worst of people. Sometimes, all you can see in the reflection is the good.

* * *

_A/N: Finally! Chapter six is done, now it's time to move on to chapter seven. Warning, finals are coming up, so I wouldn't expect a fast update..._

_To everyone who wants to know what Eva is, it's revealed in about...two?...chapters. Though I thought it was pretty obvious, but then again I'm the one writing it._

_For those of you wondering where the heck Kinia came from, she had a small cameo in chapter five. well, okay, Zeref mentioned her. That counts as a cameo, right?_

_Tell me what you think! Reviews are lovely and are extremely motivating._


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